sandra cairncross | Edinburgh Napier University (original) (raw)

Papers by sandra cairncross

This paper reports first year students' experiences with multimedia-based learning for programmin... more This paper reports first year students' experiences with multimedia-based learning for programming and its influence on students obtained from two case studies at Napier and Brunel universities. Engineering students at the universities have taken programming courses from their first year and many have showed difficulties in their learning. The main reason is that it is a very abstract domain, which means that both lecturers and students can have difficulties in explaining and understanding abstract concepts verbally. Considering the strengths of Interactive Multimedia(IMM), i.e. interactivity and visualisation, we decided to use it to improve students' learning.

ABSTRACT We have recently designed a CS 1 course that integrates event-driven programming from th... more ABSTRACT We have recently designed a CS 1 course that integrates event-driven programming from the very start. Our experience teaching this course runs counter to the prevailing sense that these techniques would add complexity to the content of CS 1. Instead, ...

ACM Sigcse Bulletin, 2001

This paper explores the design of learning experiences that use multimedia learning objects (MLOs... more This paper explores the design of learning experiences that use multimedia learning objects (MLOs). A history of learning objects is presented and design issues examined. The need for a learner-centred approach to design is identified and a design and evaluation framework is presented. Issues associated with its use are explored.

Engineering Science and Education Journal, 1999

ABSTRACT This article examines how interactive multimedia can be used to support and enhance the ... more ABSTRACT This article examines how interactive multimedia can be used to support and enhance the teaching and learning process in engineering education. It starts by looking at the key features of multimedia (multiple media, delivery control, and interactivity) and describes their benefits and limitations from an educational viewpoint. Criteria for selecting topics to be delivered by interactive multimedia are then discussed with an emphasis on using multimedia to add value. Finally, advice is offered about the integration of interactive multimedia into a curriculum

Higher Education (HE) is increasingly globalised, involving partnerships between institutions in ... more Higher Education (HE) is increasingly globalised, involving partnerships between institutions in different countries. There is little research available on such educational partnerships in HE. Just like learning experiences themselves, each educational partnership is unique but we propose a set of six factors to consider, which might help formulate the dimensions of future research. We reflect here on 6 years of partnerships between our university and colleges both in our own country (Scotland, UK) and Malaysia to deliver IT degree programmes, enabling a our student experience to be shared by non-traditional learners who cannot study in Edinburgh, due to work, family, financial and other commitments. Users' stories help us understand and meet stakeholders' needs, and plan future research. What emerges is evidence of an equivalent set of learning experiences, despite the geographic and cultural distances. Index Terms -collaborative provision, distributed learning, human-centred design,

Interactive Technology and Smart Education, 2004

Patterns of teaching and learning are changing, par-ticularly in the post-school arena. There is ... more Patterns of teaching and learning are changing, par-ticularly in the post-school arena. There is a grow-ing need to offer greater flexibility in product deliv-ery to students. This is partly because of changes in student availability: demand for part-time study has increased and, ...

Research into engineering education can take different forms, ranging from large scale multiinsti... more Research into engineering education can take different forms, ranging from large scale multiinstitutional studies, to cross-institutional impact analysis, to individual teachers undertaking action research. It can often be challenging, requiring an understanding of not only how students learn but also an understanding of educational research methods. Many academics, when first embarking on research into education, naturally draw upon the research methods associated with their own discipline, but this may not be the most appropriate approach for educational research. We reflect here on our own development as researchers into engineering education, diversifying from methods rooted in our own disciplines, electrical engineering and computer science, into methods borrowed from other disciplines. Consideration of underlying philosophical concepts frames this journey and key concerns are the value of controlled experiments in engineering education and the use of interpretativist approaches to illuminate particular situations. Additionally, ethical considerations should inform both the conduct of the research and the dissemination of findings. These reflections will be of interest to engineering educators embarking on their own educational research projects.

Technically-oriented undergraduate students are often reluctant to engage with “Legal, Social, Et... more Technically-oriented undergraduate students are often reluctant to engage with “Legal, Social, Ethical and Professional Issues”. In particular many learners appear to have an increasingly cavalier attitude to intellectual property in digital media. Meanwhile local employers complain of graduates' “unworldliness”. This case study describes the creation of a reusable learning object that uses topicality to make these issues seem more relevant to first year undergraduates in a School of Computing. Based on first delivery we identify principles for the design and maintenance of topical RLOs. One unexpected issue is how quickly topicality wanes and we identify that learners themselves are the best placed to identify future topical examples.

Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 2001

Many people argue that interactive multimedia has the potential to create high quality learning e... more Many people argue that interactive multimedia has the potential to create high quality learning environments which actively engage the learner, thereby promoting deep learning. However there is growing evidence that the potential of interactive multimedia is not being fulfilled. This paper argues that if we are to design effective interactive learning application then a user-centred approach to their design should be taken. This approach should be based on general human-computer interaction principles as well as educational theory. The paper starts with an overview of the learning process. Consideration is then given to how the key elements of interactive multimedia (multiple media, user control over the delivery of information, and interactivity) can be used to enhance that process, with the emphasis being on promoting deep learning. The paper concludes by giving suggestions for future work.

Many people argue that interactive multimedia has the potential to create high quality learning e... more Many people argue that interactive multimedia has the potential to create high quality learning environments which actively engage the learner, thereby promoting deep learning. However there is growing evidence that the potential of interactive multimedia is not being ful lled. This paper argues that if we are to design effective interactive learning application then a user-centred approach to their design should be taken. This approach should be based on general human-computer interaction principles as well as educational theory. The paper starts with an overview of the learning process. Consideration is then given to how the key elements of interactive multimedia (multiple media, user control over the delivery of information, and interactivity ) can be used to enhance that process, with the emphasis being on promoting deep learning. The paper concludes by giving suggestions for future work.

Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 2001

Many people argue that interactive multimedia has the potential to create high quality learning e... more Many people argue that interactive multimedia has the potential to create high quality learning environments which actively engage the learner, thereby promoting deep learning. However there is growing evidence that the potential of interactive multimedia is not being ful lled. This paper argues that if we are to design effective interactive learning application then a user-centred approach to their design should be taken. This approach should be based on general human-computer interaction principles as well as educational theory. The paper starts with an overview of the learning process. Consideration is then given to how the key elements of interactive multimedia (multiple media, user control over the delivery of information, and interactivity ) can be used to enhance that process, with the emphasis being on promoting deep learning. The paper concludes by giving suggestions for future work.

Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 2001

Many people argue that interactive multimedia has the potential to create high quality learning e... more Many people argue that interactive multimedia has the potential to create high quality learning environments which actively engage the learner, thereby promoting deep learning. However there is growing evidence that the potential of interactive multimedia is not being ful lled. This paper argues that if we are to design effective interactive learning application then a user-centred approach to their design should be taken. This approach should be based on general human-computer interaction principles as well as educational theory. The paper starts with an overview of the learning process. Consideration is then given to how the key elements of interactive multimedia (multiple media, user control over the delivery of information, and interactivity ) can be used to enhance that process, with the emphasis being on promoting deep learning. The paper concludes by giving suggestions for future work.

ABSTRACT This paper describes the steps taken by staff in the School of Computing in promoting an... more ABSTRACT This paper describes the steps taken by staff in the School of Computing in promoting and supporting an accessible curriculum. It reports on the authors' personal learning about these issues, and reflects on the issues we have found, as a result, within our own practice. We explore a number of typical learning and assessment activities and examine different ways in which we can adapt our curriculum to help those with special needs. We analyse the trade-offs and appropriateness of these approaches and see how they can be of benefit to all students. We have found moves towards a more accessible curriculum can improve teaching and learning for all.

ACM Sigcse Bulletin, 2001

Engineering Science and Education Journal, 1999

Interactive Technology and Smart Education, 2004

Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 2001

Many people argue that interactive multimedia has the potential to create high quality learning e... more Many people argue that interactive multimedia has the potential to create high quality learning environments which actively engage the learner, thereby promoting deep learning. However there is growing evidence that the potential of interactive multimedia is not being ful lled. This paper argues that if we are to design effective interactive learning application then a user-centred approach to their design should be taken. This approach should be based on general human-computer interaction principles as well as educational theory. The paper starts with an overview of the learning process. Consideration is then given to how the key elements of interactive multimedia (multiple media, user control over the delivery of information, and interactivity ) can be used to enhance that process, with the emphasis being on promoting deep learning. The paper concludes by giving suggestions for future work.

Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 2001

Many people argue that interactive multimedia has the potential to create high quality learning e... more Many people argue that interactive multimedia has the potential to create high quality learning environments which actively engage the learner, thereby promoting deep learning. However there is growing evidence that the potential of interactive multimedia is not being ful lled. This paper argues that if we are to design effective interactive learning application then a user-centred approach to their design should be taken. This approach should be based on general human-computer interaction principles as well as educational theory. The paper starts with an overview of the learning process. Consideration is then given to how the key elements of interactive multimedia (multiple media, user control over the delivery of information, and interactivity ) can be used to enhance that process, with the emphasis being on promoting deep learning. The paper concludes by giving suggestions for future work.

Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 2001

Many people argue that interactive multimedia has the potential to create high quality learning e... more Many people argue that interactive multimedia has the potential to create high quality learning environments which actively engage the learner, thereby promoting deep learning. However there is growing evidence that the potential of interactive multimedia is not being ful lled. This paper argues that if we are to design effective interactive learning application then a user-centred approach to their design should be taken. This approach should be based on general human-computer interaction principles as well as educational theory. The paper starts with an overview of the learning process. Consideration is then given to how the key elements of interactive multimedia (multiple media, user control over the delivery of information, and interactivity ) can be used to enhance that process, with the emphasis being on promoting deep learning. The paper concludes by giving suggestions for future work.